This invention relates generally to a temperature measuring device for use in cooking food, and particularly to a temperature measuring device having an audible alarm to alert the user when the temperature of the food reaches a predetermined threshold level.
Various food products must be cooked until the internal temperature of the food reaches a predetermined temperature. This is especially true with respect to meat due to health purposes and personal preference. By achieving a certain internal temperature, the preparer can be reasonably certain that the food contains no living organisms which are known to have an immediate effect in many consumers. Also, the preparer can serve a dish that conforms to the personal preference of the consumer, i.e. rare, medium, or well-done without the need of cutting open the food to check or attempt to rely soley on time cooked.
Conventional food measuring devices, generally referred to as xe2x80x9cthermometersxe2x80x9d incorporate a sensing probe for insertion into the food. Thus, if a thermometer only indicates temperature, the food preparer must diligently check the thermometer to determine when the food has reached the desired temperature.
A known cooking thermometer type device that provides an indicator, such as a pop up element or color change, indicated when a threshold temperature has been reached in accordance with a predetermined measurement. However, these devices are generally not adjustable or precisely accurate. Thus, the preparer must diligently check the indicator to determine when the indicator is activated.
Known prior art food visual thermometers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,997; U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,611; U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,188; U.S. Pat. No. 1,918,258; and Foreign Patent WO 90/11497.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,391 discloses an electronic chef""s fork which displays the degree of doneness of food. However, it is not adjustable and gives no audible signal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,487,352 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,931 disclose a pop-up temperature indicator. The devices have a meltable seal that melts at a set point causing a portion of the device to pop-up thus alerting the user that the food is done. Again, there is no audible signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,250 discloses a food thermometer with an audible device. on reaching a set point cooking temperature, a valve opens enabling steam in a reservoir to activate a whistle alarm. This device does provide an audible alarm but requires filling and projects a hot steam upon activation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,798 discloses a food thermometer for producing an audible alarm but it is a sophisticated and complex unit generally only available as a permanent part of an oven.
Thus, conventional thermometer devices used for cooking require the preparer to carefully and diligently check the device to prevent the food from becoming overcooked. Should the food preparer become distracted with other dishes, a phone call, etc. and forget to check the thermometer, reliance on conventional cooking thermometer devices may result in the food becoming overcooked and possibly inedible. Thus, what is needed is a means for audibly alerting the food preparer when the internal temperature of the food being cooked reaches a predetermined temperature.
The present invention is a food temperature indicating device having an audible signal that alerts the user when the temperature of the food reaches a predetermined threshold. In general, the instant invention is a temperature measuring device having a stem insertable into a suitable substance and a body with an audible alarm mechanism. The stem has an elongated sensing probe, a temperature sensitive material, and a spring, The body has a temperature indicia plate, an audible alarm, and trigger mechanism to activate the alarm. An adjustable temperature actuator is coupled to the alarm mechanism which includes a pointer manually positionable over the temperature indicia plate. The actuator is a rotating disk in operative communication with the pointer. A disk lever is rotatably connected to the disk so that the disk can be manually preset to a desired temperature.
The user turns a disk lever of the body which rotates the actuator until the pointer is aligned with the desired temperature on the temperature indicia plate. The probe houses a spring made of temperature sensitive material in bi-metallic communication. As the temperature of the food increases, the temperature of the sensitive material of the spring rises. This causes the sensitive material to expand. thus, the spring expands in a rotating direction. One end of the spring is anchored to the stem of the probe, and the other end is attached to a rod. The rod is then attached to the temperature pointer thus, when the internal temperature of the meat changes, the temperature pointer rotates accordingly.
When the desired threshold temperature is reached, an actuation pin depending from the temperature pointer triggers the alarm mechanism. The actuation pin releases the a series of levers, a prime lever, interlink, and endlink. First, the actuation pin releases the prime lever from the interlink allowing the interlink to pivot which then releases the endlink from a ratchet and the manually pre-wound coil spring. As the coil spring unwinds it rotates the clapper assembly. The clapper assembly has a plurality of wings that repeatedly strike a bell causing it to ring. As a result, the user is audibly alerted when the desired threshold temperature has been reached. The alarm can be turned off by increasing the set temperature which also reengages the ratchet.
Thus, it is an objective of the instant invention to provide an audible alarm for alerting the user when the temperature of suitable substance reaches a predetermined threshold.
It is a further objective of the instant invention to provide a temperature measuring device with an audible alarm that does not require filling with water or an electrical connection for operation.
It is yet another objective of the instant invention to provide a temperature measuring device with an audible alarm that is adjustable and inexpensive.
It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a temperature measuring device with an audible alarm that is self-contained having no discharge.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.